Photo by Madison Edwards

By Kristi Alexandra
@kristialexandra

Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past week, I don’t have to tell you about DJ Khaled’s gross, sexist comment circling the Internet of late. The rapper noted his unwillingness to perform cunnilingus on his wife, enforcing an ugly patriarchal double standard. What a breath of relief it was on Saturday night, then, to look back on the years with Canada’s country sweetheart Shania Twain, who’s been smashing that sexist double standard through her music for 20-plus years.

The 52-year-old chanteuse kicked off her May 5 set at Rogers Arena by teasing the intro to “Any Man of Mine” as she walked through the crowd grabbing at hands, but then devilishly setting us up for performances of “Life’s About to Get Good,” “Come On Over,” and “Up.” Indeed, we were only about to go “up” from there.

For the years of smash hits and feminist-forward lyrics, we’ll forgive her semi Trump-supporting slip (we know you didn’t mean it, Shania. You didn’t, right?).

Glitter, sequins, and breathtaking sets abounded for Shania, who kept churning out favourite after favourite. Hundreds of 10-year-old girls alighted from their 30-year-old bodies to sing along to “That Don’t Impress Me Much” and “Whose Bed Have Your Boots Been Under?”

While fans still gave their full attention to the new tracks off her 2017 album Now, it was obvious the crowd was exceptionally energized for the nostalgia of Twain’s earlier hits.

Things took a turn for the slow when she doled out a heartfelt rendition of “Still The One,” and we ached a little bit for her knowing this song was originally penned with and for her ex-husband Mutt Lange. RIP to that relationship.

We weren’t about to dwell too long, though. At this stage in her career, Twain is more fabulous and vital than ever — nailing every note and emotion to her long-beloved hits.

She didn’t let us down when she blasted back onstage to encore with “Man, I Feel Like A Woman.” And damn, we were reminded of just how good it is — the song’s lyrics serving as a reminder to take the reigns and utilize our power of choice.

If there’s one thing to be said for Twain’s show, it’s that her songs and energy left us feeling empowered and ready to take on the patriarchy. ‘Cause in the end, men like DJ Khaled don’t impress us much, and any man of ours will certainly be upholding their end of the deal. Thanks for the reminder, Shania.

Kristi Alexandra is an unabashed wino and wannabe musician. Her talents include drinking an entire bottle of cabernet sauvignon, singing in the bathtub, and falling asleep.